Analysis of test data obtained from Charpy V and impact tensile test

The standard Charpy V-notch specimen has received a great deal of attention as small, inexpensive and convenient material test specimen which provides deep insights of inherent fracture toughness problems. In this study, Charpy impact tests are performed utilizing the Computer-Aided Instrumented Charpy impact test (CAI) method which has been developed by one of the present authors (TK) for nearly 40 years. The well-known Server's equation is used to estimate tensile properties directly from the Charpy tests. Agreement between the prediction and experiments are checked for major practical aluminum alloys heat-treated to respective standard heat treatment states. Discrepancy between them is almost negligible in the case of age-hardening alloys, while it amounts sometimes several ten % in the solution hardening alloys. Especially in the case of age-hardening alloys, which is considered important as primary structural materials, feasibility of utilizing the Charpy tests to obtain tensile properties over a wide strain range is clarified by being based on the thermally activate deformation process of the aluminum alloys.